Former President George W. Bush was a master at doling out nicknames. No one was safe.
And he came up with some great ones. For senior advisor Karl Rove — “Turd Blossom.” For Russian President Vladimir Putin — “Pooty Poot.” Vice President Dick Cheney was “Big Time,” White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card was “Tangent Man,” and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was “Guru.”
Members of the press were not spared. The Washington Times’ 6-foot-7 Bill Sammon was “Super Stretch.” Maureen Dowd of The New York Times was “The Cobra.” Even yours truly had a nickname, one I’ve actually had for years — “Curly.”
But President Trump has taken nicknaming to a whole new level. He’s the new king of nicknames — and he’s outdone himself with one he coined late Thursday night on Twitter.
“Sloppy Steve.” That’s Trump’s new nickname for his former advisor-turned-vicious-critic Steve Bannon. And the name is perfect: Bannon, overweight, liver-spotted, often disheveled, is not exactly a fashion icon. His bulbous red nose doesn’t help.
Bannon was often pictured wearing just a sport coat in the White House — no tie (a huge no-no in the Bush White House). On the road, he often sports a barn coat and khakis. And he still wears the double-Izod shirt getup from the 1980s. Who does that?
Here’s the best picture ever of Bannon. (Click the link — you won’t be sorry.)
Trump used the new nickname a second time when Breitbart, headed by Bannon, lost its deep-pocket benefactor.
The president is big on nicknames — but unlike Bush, they’re often disparaging. Here’s a list making the rounds on the interwebs.
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Yeah, Trump’s taken the game to a whole new level.
May we suggest, Mr. President, that you come up with a nickname for CNN’s Jim Acosta? “Crybaby” works, but you’ve already got “Cryin’ Chuck.”
We’ll leave it to you. You’re the king.
